Romney Takes on Obama Mandate: “We’re All Catholic Today”

In a well-received speech in Ohio today, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney took on the Obama mandate that has come under heavy opposition from pro-life and religious groups. The mandate has been panned because it forces employers to pay for and refer women for abortion-inducing drugs, birth control and contraception.

“Religious liberty, our first freedom, of those enumerated in the Bill of Rights… Our president and his administration, said they are going to usurp your religious freedom by demanding that your provide products to your employees — if you’re the Catholic Church — that violate your own conscience,” Romney said. “And so whether its a Catholic business person or the Catholic Church itself, they’re being told what they have to do that violates their religious conscience.”

“That attack on religious freedom I think is a dangerous and unfortunate precedent. And I know were not all Catholic in this room — many others of you are. But I feel that we’re all Catholic today,” Romney said, “in our battle to preserve religious freedom in our country, it is essential to push back against that [mandate].”